Improvement in securing artificial teeth on aluminum plates



J. T. THORNTON. Securing Artificial Teeth on Aluminum Plates.

N0.19s,90s. Patented Jan. 1,1878.

WITNESSES INVENTOR.

jmzzmz arm ETER W l and I do hereby declare that 2 represents aflback view of the same,

UN T D-ST TE PATENT OFFICE.

Jonnrr nn T. THORNTON, "or rnovinnnonnnon'n ISLAND.

lllIPROVEMEIlTINSECU RING ARIIFICIAL l'EETH-QNALU MINUMPLATES. I

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 198,908, dated January-1, 1878 application filed i -J11ne18;1877. I P

' To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J ONATHAN" TtTHORNTON, of the city of Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Securing Artificial Teeth 'on Aluminum Plates the following is a full, clear, and exact descriptionthereof,

which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same,

reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, andto letters of reference marked there-' on, which form apart of this specification.

. y In the drawings,Figure 1 represents a front view of an upper set of teeth, showing a band as I attach it to the edge of the plate. Fig.

showing uprightposts or studs as I secure them to the plateback of the teeth; and Fig.3 represents the form of post or stud which I have The nature of my invention consists in securing artificial teeth on aluminum plates 9 without the use of solder or any alloy mixture of metals to be cast around ening them on the plate.

In the use of aluminum as a base or plate for artificial teeth, it is a well known fact that no solder has yet been discovered or made that will adherefirmly to this metal or stand the teeth in fast-.

' without corroding in the mouth.

I amaware that teethhave been secured on aluminum plates before by the useof afusible alloy or 1 composition. of metals, and I have metallic alloys ,f

noticed that in the I use of such when worn in the mouth, the saliva, in connection with the alloy and aluminum, causes a galvanic action, and in a short time the alloy t is dissolved or corroded from the aluminum plate, leaving the teeth to drop off or the work to fall to pieces.

Aluminum being a metal that resists the action of acids, with the. advantage of being very light, its use as a base for artificial teeth for the mouth is of great value; hence, to secure teeth on plates of this metal in such a manner that they may be firmly attached for a their use and wear, and without a liability of corroding ofi by the action in the mouth, would I be of such an advantage as to bring the metal "ficial teeth from the aluminum more ingeneral use for this important pur- .This is the object of my present inventiomt i provided with a shoulder fora bearing. They are riveted on the plate 7 to stand upright, the

proper distance extending to where the teeth are to be placed, (represented in Fig. 2,) the dovetail end being for the purpose offastening around in securing the teeth on the plate, as hereinafter described.

These posts may be of diflerent lengths, according to the distance of the pins in the artiplate as the teeth are fitted thereon. i i To the front edge of the plate, and extending around as far back as the last molar tooth on either side of the plate, I rivet a suitable wire strip of aluminum, which is drawn or stretched into shape by burnishing, so that a portion or one edge may correspond with the shape of the plate to which it is riveted, and the opposite edge or portion made to lap a short distance on the front edge of the artificial gum'on the teeth, forming a band, e,.to

give strength in holding the teeth on the plate and finish to the work. (Represented in the drawings, Fig. 1.)

Artificial'plates or roofs of aluminum are formed by swaging with metallic dies,in the ordinary way. The teeth are fitted and arranged in their proper position, and while thus temporarily held with bees-wax or a cement, the places i for the uprightposts are marked upon the plate. The teeth being'then removed, the holes for the posts are drilled through the plate andcountersunk on the under side. the posts in their respective places, as represented in Fig. 2. To accomplish this without I now fasten the springing of theplate, I use a small upset tool or swage, and finishthe riveting byspreadin g the head with a small burnisher'.

The front strip or band 6 may now be secured in. its place with small rivets made of aluminum wire, the rivets being put through from the under side of the plate, and the plate fswaging their outer ends.

laid on the male die upon which it was formed,

which holds the rivets in their places while Ihe band 6 may be secured on the plate before the posts a, if

preferred; but in either way care should be' taken not to spring the plate. I next rearrange the teeth. and embed my work in aflask with plaster-of-paris.

After the plaster becomes hard I remove the bees-wax or cement from the backs of the teeth, and pack a composition gum or vulcanite rubber around the dovetail posts and the pins in the teeth, so that when the composition gum or rubber is hardened or vulanized by the process already known the teeth are firmly held onthe plate by the gum or vulcanite adhering around the dovetail end of the posts a. and the pin-heads of the teeth, making a strong and durable set of teeth without the use of solder or a fusible alloy of metals to cast around the teeth.

Having thus described my invention and its use, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

The posts a and band 0, secured on an alu' minuin plate, in combination with a composi-- tion gum or vulcanite rubber, substantially as set forth, and for the purpose specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JONATHAN T. THORNTON.

Witnesses:

CHAS. L. SPENCER, LE BARON B.1OoL'r. 

